For March, we invited articles on justice in all its dimensions. Inside these pages, you’ll find articles that question the basis of actions and proposed actions at the local, state and international levels...

Backpage: “Where’s the Water?”

And then this happened…

- on November 1, 2018

No more executions by the state of Washington

In the February 2018 WIP, Glen Anderson argued that the death penalty makes problems worse, and called for its abolition. On October 11 our Supreme Court ruled the state death penalty statute unconstitutional on the grounds of racial bias. Thus Washington became the 20th state in the US to abolish executions

A decision upholding treaty rights

In our June issue, we described a challenge by tribes to Washington state’s practice of closing off upstream salmon runs in the course of road-building. Did the practice violate long-standing treaties? In June, the US Supreme Court let stand a lower court decision in favor of the tribes. Now the state must begin removing culverts that block access to habitat. King County is undertaking it own strategy to open culverts on county roads, trails and other infrastructure that blocks access. Upholding treaty agreements that protect salmon—an all-around victory.

More immigrant children held by the Trump Administration

A story in July prompted by the Trump Administration policy of separating children from their families described lifelong harm that results. Now new policies have driven up the number of children in government custody from about 3,000 in 2016 to more than 12,000 today. The Administration is expanding a “tent city” in Tornillo, TX to hold about 4000 children. Once the Tornillo center is built out to its new capacity, it will cost about $100 million a month to operate.

Correction: The photo on p. 15 of the October WIP was taken by Lenee Reid.